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http://www.wiscnews.com/wisconsindellsevents/news/local/article_ecd85584-524b-11df-a481-001cc4c03286.html

 

After biding the winter months in a "wait and see" fashion, the Riverview Park and Waterworld Board of Directors decided this month the park will re-open this summer.

 

In November, President Ken Foster said the board was considering a complete closure after revenue dropped 18 to 20 percent in 2009. Last week, Foster said the dry side of the park, which includes the go-cart tracks, will be open from about 10 a.m. to 9 or 10 p.m. this summer. The waterpark, however, will only open on a limited basis. "The water side will probably only operate for three or four hours in the heat of the afternoon," he said.

The waterpark's hours of operation will likely be noon to 3 or 4 p.m. "We have found in the past a lot of groups come at about 10 in the morning and leave about 3 in the afternoon to get back home at a reasonable time," Foster said. He said the board's final decision came down to cost. "The water side is heavily dependent on employees, and also we have to heat the water, so the utilities are up there."

 

The park has already been opening a portion of its eight go-cart tracks for roughly six hours a day on weekends and some nice weekdays since the end of March. This summer's limited opening isn't necessarily a permanent decision. "I see it as a one year thing," Foster said. "Hopefully the economy will turn around, the banks will loosen up on their lending, and it will be a better economic environment next year."

 

Part of the reason the park struggled last year, Foster said in November, was layoffs and people having less expendable cash. The cool weather was also partly to blame. "We are trying to do the best we can under the economic conditions that are here right now," he said.

 

Even though the park will open, the carnival rides will not be returning this summer. Central Wisconsin Amusements LLC, which also provides rides for Wo-Zha-Wa, decided against returning, Foster said. "They weren't pleased with their bottom line results last year, is what it came down to," he said. Last year, the carnival rides included the Super Loop, a scrambler, a carousel and a tilt-a-whirl.

 

Foster doesn't expect the park to be as busy this summer, not only because of the limited waterpark hours, but because the park didn't seek out groups during the winter months like it normally would. Riverview is a more than 35-acre park that is open annually from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It has been in business since 1968.

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Posted

^All of their coasters have been removed.

 

I had no idea they were in trouble either. Although when I tried to get the credits in 2008 (the coasters were closed), the park looked pretty bad. With Mt. Olympus right across the street, the park just didn't seem to have anything to compete with. If Mt. Olympus was still how it was pre-2004/2005, I could see the park doing well, but not in its current form.

Posted

It's dissapointing to see Riverview cutting back like this and losing most of their "thrill" rides. From my understanding, most of Riverview's rides were leased anyways. I don't know if you can blame this entirely on the conomy though. Maybe Riverview just isn't that big of an attraction in the Dells anymore?

Posted

I feel bad for the park but I could see this coming from a mile away. They had nothing that would make people go there over Mt. Olympus. The two times I went the park was dead and now with out the coasters I have no reason to ever want to go back. I'm not saying it was a bad park I'm just saying it didn't have anything special to pull people in. Hopefully the park will make it since the water park side doesn't seem half bad.

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